Jay Reatard in the SPIN/MySpace Tent / Photo by Kristina Grinovich

Usually the phrase "pleasantly surprising" doesn't go hand in hand with "slap in the face," but last night's scorching Jay Reatard set at 6th Street venue Vice was a whole new play on words. Jean jacket vests, bandanas, and patches galore were the costume of choice for the tightly-packed crowd, which swirled in a mini mosh pit as Reatard blasted through a 40-minute set spouting the metal-meets-punk curdle of tunes from 2006's Blood Visions, as well as tracks from his back catalogue. Hair smeared across his face, the Memphis-bred rocker surely proved the thrashing pleasure of a little turned-up-to-11-and-loud-as-hell sonic pain.

Later, down on Red River, a line of anxious fans patiently awaiting entry to the Mohawk grew by the minute -- and for good reason. Inside, the Secretly Canadian/Dead Oceans/Jagjaguwar show was unfolding with a set from blog darlings Bon Iver. As the nom de band of singer/songwriter Justin Vernon, Bon Iver strummed out memorable, poignant tunes from debut For Emma, Forever Ago, mesmerizing the crowd on both sides of the open-air venue's walls.